Ripper assembly

ABSTRACT

An improved ripper assembly for deep-ripping materials such as hardpan and the like characterized by a drawbar for supporting a plurality of ripper shanks, said drawbar being of a U-shaped configuration and including a pair of leg segments extended along opposite sides of a pusher tractor, and a transverse base segment integrally related to said legs and forming a pull bar mounted on the pusher tractor in a forward disposition, and linkage coupling the drawbar with a puller tractor, whereby the pusher and puller tractors concurrently apply horizontally directed forces to said drawbar for driving said shanks through the material.

United States Patent 1191 Collin, Jr. et al.

[4 June 11, 1974 RIPPER ASSEMBLY Inventors: Henry A. Collin, Jr.,Cutler; James O. Eaton, Reedley; Henry A. Collin, Ill, Orange Cove;Jacob R. Pretzer, Merced; Donald H. Stroot, Castro Valley, all of Calif.

Assignee: Agristruction, lnc., Orosi, Calif.

Filed: Nov. 15, 1972 Appl. No.: 306,797

u.s. c1 172/677, 172/699, 37/193, 180/9 1, 280/493 1111. c1.. A0lb59/00, AOlb 13/08, B62d 55/00 Field 61 Search 172/272, 677, 699, 700,

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS Primary Examiner-Robert E.Pulfrey Assistant Examiner-Paul T. Sewell Attorney, Agent, orFirm-Huebner & Worrel [57 ABSTRACT An improved ripper assembly fordeep-ripping materials such as hardpan and the like characterized by adrawbar for supporting a plurality of ripper shanks, said drawbar beingof a U-shaped configuration and including a pair of leg segmentsextended along opposite sides of a pusher tractor, and a transverse basesegment integrallyrelated to said legs'and forming a pull bar mounted onthe pusher tractor in a forward disposition, and linkage coupling thedrawbar with a puller tractor, whereby the pusher and puller tractorsconcurrently apply horizontally directed forces to said drawbar fordriving said shanks through the material.

5 Claims, 3 Drawing Figures RIPPER ASSEMBLY BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTIONThe invention relates to rippers and more particularly to an improvedripper assembly configured to be driven by a pair of crawler tractorscoupled therewith in a push-pull configuration.

Of all of the obstacles to profitable farming, one of the most seriousto farmers throughout the Western United States is the existence of alayer of hardpan located to depths of two to seven feet below thesurface of substantially tillable soil. Hardpan, of course, is ageologically formed strata of extremely compressed and chemically bondedclay and iron oxide mixture. Since roots cannot penetrate hardpan, it iscommon practice to disturb the hardpan utilizing deep-rippingtechniques. This technique is typified by pulling broad ripper shanksthrough the hardpan. In most cases the required depth for ripping can bereached in a single pass. This necessitates use of equipment of adequatestrength and power.

In practice, it has been found that large crawler tractors coupled intandem meet the power requirements and that massive shanks suitable fordeep-ripping can be fabricated with minimum difficulty. However, as iswell known to those familiar with ripping hardpan in the Western UnitedStates, great difficulty is encountered in avoiding metal fatigue andequipment failure when multiple crawler tractors, of adequate ratings,are coupled with shanks of an adequate size for ripping deep hardpan insingle passes. For example, where cralwer tractors arecoupled in atandem relationship employing only rear hitches, or those orientedfortowing, there is a distinct tendency for the supporting structure tofracture with an attendant failure of the hitches. In other words,sections often are torn from transmission cases to which the hitches arecoupled.

Consequently, operators attempting to perform deep-ripping operationsfor disturbing hardpan, utilizing currently available crawler tractorsand ripper assemblies coupled in tandem, frequently experiencesubstantial losses in operating time, as well as substantial repair andmaintenance costs.

It is, therefore, the purpose of this invention to provide an improvedripper assembly adapted to be mounted on power units, including wheeledtractors, crawler tractors and the like and suited for use in rippingmaterials of a general nature, including various types of soils,atvarious depths, rock strata and tundra, and particularly suited foruse in performing deepripping operations for disturbing hardpanutilizing currently available tractors coupled in a push-pull, tandemconfiguration, the rearmost tractor being hereinafter referred to as apusher tractor, while the foremost tractor is referred to as a pullertractor.

OBJECTS AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is an object of the instantinvention to provide an improved ripper assembly for use in performingripping operations. I

It isanother object of the instant invention to provide an improvedripper assembly for use with crawler tractors coupled in tandem.

Another object of the instant invention is to provide an improved ripperassembly adapted to be mounted LII on a pusher tractor and coupled witha puller tractor for deep-ripping hardpan.

Another object is to provide an improved ripper assembly adapted to bepushed by a first tractor and pulled by a second tractor for rippinghardpan at substantial depths.

These and other objects and advantages are achieved through the use ofan improved ripper assembly which includes a drawbar of a substantiallyU-shaped configuration, which includes a pair of parallel legs coupledtogether by a base segment, forming a pull bar mounted on a pushertractor in a wrap-around relationship, and an articulated force transferlinkage extending forwardly from the base segment into a coupledrelationship with a puller tractor, as will become more readily apparentby reference to the following description and claims in light of theaccompanying drawing.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING FIG. 1 is a side elevation of theimproved ripper assembly which embodies the principles of the instantinvention, coupled with a pair of crawler tractors arranged in apush-pull, tandem configuration.

FIG. 2 is a force diagram of the forces applied to the ripper assemblyby a pair of crawler tractors arranged in a push-pull, tandemconfiguration.

FIG. 3 is a top plan view of the ripper assembly, coupled with a pair ofcrawler tractors in the manner depicted in FIG. I.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring now, morespecifically, 'to the drawing, there is shown in FIG. 1 an improvedripper assembly, generally designated 10, which embodies the principlesof the instant invention. As shown, the ripper assembly 10 is coupledwith a pair of tractors l2 and 14 arranged in a push-pull, tandemconfiguration, with the rearmost tractor 12 being referred to as apusher tractor, while the foremost tractor 14 is referred to as thepuller tractor.

In practice, the tractors 12 and 14 are of the so-called crawler ortrack laying type, however, it should be apparent that other types oftractors can also be employed. Therefore, while the tractors 12 and 14are depicted as crawler tractors, it is to be understood that the ripperassmbly 10 can be employed with other types A of prime movers, includingwheeled tractors and the like.

The ripper assembly 10 includes a drawbar generally designated 16 of aU-shaped configuration. In practice, the drawbar 16 includes a basesegment 20, which serves asa pull bar, and a pair of rearwardly extendedlegs 22 arranged insubstantial parallelism. As a practical matter, thebase segment 20 is a rigid, heavy duty structural beam to the distalends of which is pivotally coupled the legs 22. A suitable trunnion 24is employed for coupling each of the legs 22 to the base segment 20 in amanner such that pivotal oscillation is accommodated about an axisorthogonally related to the longitudinal axis of symmetry of the legs22.

The distal ends of the legs 22 are coupled through a transverselyoriented support beam 26 upon which is mounted a plurality of rippershanks 28. Since the ripper shanks form no specific part of the instantinvention, the specific structure employed in mounting the ripper shanks28 is omitted in the interest of brevity.

for raising the support beam 26 in order to extract the shanks 28 fromthe soil. As employed, the slave cylinder 34 includes an axiallyreciprocable shaft 36 pinned at its distal end to a vertically orientedbeam 38, the base of which is welded or otherwise rigidly affixed to thesupport beam 26. The slave cylinder 34, of course, is coupled within asuitable hydraulic circuit, not shown, which includes a selector valveappropriately located for affording an operator access thereto. The baseof the cylinder 34 is pinned to the tractor 12 in any suitable manner.Consequently, appropriate manipulation of the selector valve serves toimpose selected states of operation on the slave cylinder 34. Thus, theshaft 36 of the slave cylinder 34'is extended for lifting the shanks 28,via the transverse support beam 26 while retraction of the shaft causesthe shanks 28 to penetrate the soil as the beam 26 is lowered. Ofcourse, the lifting and lowering of the shanks serve to impartoscillation to the legs 22. Such is, of course, accommodated by thetrunnions 24.

The pusher tractor 12 is coupled to the base segment 20 of the drawbar16 through a force transfer link 40, formed of a pair of parallel arms,not designated, welded at their base ends to the base segment 20 andextended rearwardly therefrom. As a practical matter, the force transferlink 40 is pinned to the tractor 12 by a pair of trunnions 42. Where thetractor 12 is a crawler tractor, the force transfer link 40 is coupledwith the tractor in a manner quite similar to that in which a socalleddozer blade is coupled with the tractor. Consequently, the link 40preferably is mounted on the tractor l2 employing the structure providedfor mounting thereon a dozer blade.

In any event, it is to be understood that the pusher tractor 12functions in a pushing mode for applying a pushing force against thedrawbar 16, through the force transfer link 40. Thus, the force transferlink 40 acts in compression for transferring a propelling force,developedby the tractor 12, to the drawbar 16.

Extended forwardly from the base segment 20 of the drawbar 16, there isan articulated force transfer linkage 50. The force transfer linkage 50includes a tow bar 52, fixedly mounted on rearmost portions of thepuller tractor l4, and a tongue 54 whichis rigidly fixed to the drawbar16. The tongue 54 and the tow bar 52 are, in practice, united by anysuitable means, including a balljoint 56, which permits the tongue 54 topivot with respect to the tow bar 52 in order to facilitate independentsteerage of the tractors l2 and 14. Since the particular structureemployed in coupling the tow bar 52 with the tongue 54 can be varied, adetailed description thereof is omitted in the interest of brevity.However, it is to be understood that the tongue and tow bar collectivelyforman articulated linkage which permits the tractors l2 and 14 to movesimultaneously in different directions as pivoting of the tonguerelative to the tow bar 52 is accommodated.

It should, at this point, be readily apparent that the force transferlinkage 50 acts in tension for transferring a pulling force to thedrawbar 16, as the force transfer link 40 concurrently applies a pushingforce thereto.

Thus, it is possible to drive the ripper assembly 10 through hardpansoil utilizing tandem tractors arranged in a push-pull configuration, sothat the stress developed in the structure employed in coupling theripper assembly with the tractors, particularly the pusher tractor 12,is minimized.

OPERATION It is believed that in view of the foregoing description, theoperation of the device will be readily understood and it will bebriefly reviewed at this point.

With the ripper assembly 10 coupled through the link 40 with the pushertractor 12, in a substantially confining relationship, and coupled withthe puller tractor 14, through the force transfer linkage 50, the ripperassembly is prepared for operation in a selected field. As the tractors12 and 14 advance through the selected field, the slave cylinder 34 isactivated for retracting the shaft 36, whereupon the legs 22 of thedrawbar 16 pivot about the trunnions 24 for thus permitting the shanks28 to penetrate the soil to a desired depth. The force required topropel the shanks through the hardpan being ripped is transferredconcurrently from the pusher tractor l2 and the puller tractor 14 to thedrawbar 16, as the tractors l2 and 14 are caused to advance. Thus, theforce transfer link 40 is placed in compression as the tractor l2 pushesthedrawbar 16, while the force transfer linkage 50 is placed in tensionas the tractor l4 pulls the drawbar 16.

In view of the foregoing, it should readily be apparent that byemploying an articulated drawbar l6 configured to be received bya-pusher tractor, in a wraparound relationship, and attached for towingto a puller tractor, it is possible to transfer massive forcessimultaneously derived from a plurality of tractors to a common tow barwithout subjecting supporting structure to stress-induced damage.

Although the invention has been herein shown and described in what isconceived to be the most practical and preferred embodiment, it isrecognized that departures may be made therefrom within the scope of theinvention, which is not to be limited to the illustrative detailsdisclosed.

Having described our invention, what we claim as new and desire tosecure by Letters Patent is:

1. An improved ripper assembly comprising:

A. an elongated pull bar;

B. a pair of mutually spaced, elongated legs arranged in substantiallyspaced parallelism and extended orthogonally from said pull bar, eachleg being characterized by a base end portion pivotally connected withan end portion of said pull bar and a distal end portion remotelyrelated to the base end portion thereof;

C. means for connecting a ripper shank to said legs including a beamextended between the distal end portions of the legs and rigidlyconnected thereto;

D. first connecting means for connecting said pull bar with a firstgiven tractor including a pair of rigid, elongated arms connected withsaid pull bar and extended therefrom in substantial parallelism with thelegs of said pair; and

E. second connecting means for connecting said pull bar with a secondgiven tractor including a force transfer linkage connected with the pullbar and extended orthogonally therefrom in a direction substantiallyopposite to that in which said pair of arms is extended.

2. The ripper assembly of claim 1 wherein said force transfer linkage isan articulated linkage.

3. An improved ripper assembly for deepripping strata at substantialdepths beneath the surface of a body of soil comprising:

A. a draw bar of a substantially U-shaped configuration including a pairof pivotal legs, each of said legs being characterized by a base end anda distal end remotely related to the base end and further characterizedby a length greater than the length of a given tractor, said legs beingdisposed in substantial parallelism and spaced apart a distancesufficient for receiving the given tractor therebetween, and meansincluding a transversely oriented pull bar interconnecting said legs atthe base ends thereof;

B. means adapted to mount said draw bar on said given tractor with thepull bar disposed forwardly of the tractor and the distal ends of thelegs disposed rearwardly thereof;

C. an articulated force transfer linkage for coupling said draw bar withanother tractor disposed forwardly of said pull bar, including a firstlink coupled at one end thereof to said other tractor and a second linkpivotally connected with said first link and connected with said pullbar; and

D. means including a support beam extended between the distal ends ofsaid legs for supporting a ripper shank rearwardly of the given tractor.

4. The assembly of claim 3 wherein said means for mounting said draw baron said given tractor comprises a pair of rigid arms integrallyconnected with said pull bar and rearwardly extended therefrom, andmeans including a pair of laterally spaced trunnions for connecting saidarms to said given tractor.

5. In combination 'with a first and a second tractor arranged infore-and-aft alignment, an improved ripper assembly for deep-rippingstrata at substantial depths beneath the surface of a body of soilcomprising:

A. a pull bar extended transversely between said first and secondtractors, and a pair of laterally spaced legs, each leg beingcharacterized by a base end pivotally connected with one end of saidpull bar and a distal end disposed rearwardly of said first tractor;

B. means for connecting said pull bar with said first tractor includinga pair of laterally spaced arms integrally connected to said pull barand extended rearwardly therefrom, and means including a pair oftrunnions mounted on said first tractor, at opposite sides thereof, forreceiving the extended arms in a coupled relationship;

C. means for connecting said pull bar with said second tractor,including a first link integrally connected with the pull bar andextended forwardly therefrom, a second link pivotally coupled to saidfirst link, and means for coupling said second link with said secondtractor;

D. means for mounting a ripper shank on said ripper 1 assembly includinga transversely oriented shanksupporting beam integrally connected withthe distal ends of said legs, rearwardly of said first tractor; and

E. means for raising and lowering said shanksupporting beam.

1. An improved ripper assembly comprising: A. an elongated pull bar; B.a pair of mutually spaced, elongated legs arranged in substantiallyspaced parallelism and extended orthogonally from said pull bar, eachleg being characterized by a base end portion pivotally connected withan end portion of said pull bar and a distal end portion remotelyrelated to the base end portion thereof; C. means for connecting aripper shank to said legs including a beam extended between the distalend portions of the legs and rigidly connected thereto; D. firstconnecting means for connecting said pull bar with a first given tractorincluding a pair of rigid, elongated arms connected with said pull barand extended therefrom in substantial parallelism with the legs of saidpair; and E. second connecting means for connecting said pull bar with asecond given tractor including a force transfer linkage connected withthe pull bar and extended orthogonally therefrom in a directionsubstantially opposite to that in which said pair of arms is extended.2. The ripper assembly of claim 1 wherein said force transfer linkage isan articulated linkage.
 3. An improved ripper assembly for deeprippingstrata at substantial depths beneath the surface of a body of soilcomprising: A. a draw bar of a substantially U-shaped configurationincluding a pair of pivotal legs, each of said legs being characterizedby a base end and a distal end remotely related to the base end andfurther characterized by a length greater than the length of a giventractor, said legs being disposed in substantial parallelism and spacedapart a distance sufficient for receiving the given tractortherebetween, and means including a transversely oriented pull barinterconnecting said legs at the base ends thereof; B. means adapted tomount said draw bar on said given tractor with the pull bar disposedforwardly of the tractor and the distal ends of the legs disposedrearwardly thereof; C. an articulated force transfer linkage forcoupling said draw bar with another tractor disposed forwardly of saidpull bar, including a first link coupled at one end thereof to saidother tractor and a second link pivotally connected with said first linkand connected with said pull bar; and D. means including a support beamextended between the distal ends of said legs for supporting a rippershank rearwardly of the given tractor.
 4. The assembly of claim 3wherein said means for mounting said draw bar on said given tractorcomprises a pair of rigid arms integrally connected with said pull barand rearwardly extended therefrom, and means including a pair oflaterally spaced trunnions for connecting said arms to said giventractor.
 5. In combination with a first and a second tractor arranged infore-and-aft alignment, an improved ripper assembly for deep-rippingstrata at substantial depths beneath the surface of a body of soilcomprising: A. a pull bar extended transversely between said first andsecond tractors, and a pair of laterally spaced legs, each leg beingcharacterized by a base end pivotally connected with one end of saidpull bar and a distal end disposed rearwardly of said first tractor; B.means for connecting said pull bar with said first tractor including apair of laterally spaced arms integrally connected to said pull bar andextended rearwardly therefrom, and means including a pair of trunnionsmounted on said first tractor, at opposite sides thereof, for receivingthe extended arms in a coupled relationship; C. means for connectingsaid pull bar with said second tractor, including a first linkintegrally connected with the pull bar and extended forwardly therefrom,a second link pivotally coupled to said first link, and means forcoupling said second link with said second tractor; D. means formounting a ripper shank on said ripper assembly including a transverselyoriented shank-supporting beam integrally connected with the distal endsof said legs, rearwardly of said first tractor; and E. means for raisingand lowering said shank-supporting beam.